Who Killed Robert Baratheon?
by Accio Lumos
Summary: Robert Baratheon is murdered in his study on the night of a dinner party. When his best friend DS Eddard Stark is called in to investigate, it becomes apparant to Ned that his best friend died with many enemies. With many secrets wanting to stay hidden, will Ned uncover the truth of who killed Robert Baratheon? Modern Day, AU, murder mystery, rating may go up!
1. Robert

**A/N: So thank you to everyone who gives this a read, I've recently become obsessed with GOT and decided to write my first fic, I've just started reading ASOIAF so I apologise in advance if anything seems out of character but this fic will be based more on the show than the book series.**

**Also a warning: This story is AU, Modern day murder mystery with chapters based on a different character's POV. If you don't like Modern day/AU GOT fics then I suggest nicely that you don't read. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing and make nothing from writing these fics.**

* * *

He tied the black tie around his neck before straightening his collar, looking at his reflection in the mirror in front of him; wondering what had happened to the man he had been twenty years ago. A lot can change in twenty years but some things remained the same. Like tonight for instance. Every three months the company that he, Robert Baratheon, owned with his father-in-law Tywin Lannister would throw a dinner party; to celebrate how well their company was doing. His dining room would host the people who wanted something from him, they would be well fed with a three course meal; this year French onion soup for starters, Salmon for the main and strawberry cheesecake for dessert, and then a particularly flirty young girl who just so happened to sit opposite him, making flirty eyes at him would end up his in bed after they had both consumed too much wine.

The last part wasn't so bad. Robert preferred that, he saw it as his reward for having to sit through an entire evening surrounded by letches, mostly Lannister letches who liked to suck up to Tywin. Then there was his wife, Cersei who looked sour faced during these dinners with her twin brother whispering in her ear; he hated the lot of them. His marriage to Cersei had been arranged when he offered to help buy out Tywin Lannister's failing company, he got fifty-one percent and a bride whilst Tywin got a huge payout to save his debts and was made co-owner, of course Tywin didn't like the fact that the company he once owned fully he now owned forty-nine percent of.

Robert checked his watch, nearly time to start greeting the guests who would soon be arriving at their six bedroom house in the London suburbs. He had never truly been happy here. His successful business in which he owned fifty-one percent, his marriage to Cersei, his three blonde haired children, his car, his money, the lovers he took; nothing could fill the void that had been left by his one true love.

He sighed heavily, wanting to get this evening over and done with as he pulled on his suit jacket. Today had been awful and the party would only be an awful end to an awful day. How right he was in that respect.

Little did he know that as he took out the little flask from his trouser pocket that contained his favourite whiskey, the door to his study opened and closed without him hearing it. Robert took a small swig from the flask before placing the lid over the spout and put the flask back in his pocket, feeling a little better after a touch of dutch courage.

He turned around, eyes widening at the person who stood before him. Robert let out another heavy sigh before gesturing to the seats. The person shook their head, not wanting to sit down and talk about this situation calmly.

"I thought we talked about this!" Robert stated angrily.

The person shook their head, pulling something out from behind their back. Robert's eyes widened as he watched the person stood in front of him pull the trigger on the gun he kept locked away in the safe in his office and the company headquarters.

"How did you get the combination?" Robert asked.

The person smiled, "It wasn't exactly hard." they replied.

"Now don't be stupid." Robert tried to reason, "Give me the gun and we can go over this whole thing again."

"It's too late for that! Time for you to meet your maker Robert Baratheon!"

A shot was fired, straight into Robert's heart. The person fled the study, leaving Robert Baratheon to fall backwards and landing on the creaky wooden floorboards. As blood poured out of his chest fast, the last thing that Robert heard were the sounds of guests arriving for the dinner party that he would never attend.


	2. Ned, Catelyn

It was the middle of the night when the telephone rang on the bedside table in Eddard Stark's bedroom. But it wasn't him who answered the call. Ned grunted as the light on his wife's table was switched on and he felt Catelyn lean across him to pick up the telephone.

"Hello?" she yawned.

Ned rubbed his eyes so that they could adjust to the light, seeing the look on his wife's face turn from tiredness to shock. Whoever it was on the other end of the phone had clearly just told Catelyn some bad news.

"I'll tell him, thank you Inspector." Catelyn muttered, placing the receiver back on the stand.

Catelyn moved off her husband, sitting up straight as she looked Ned in the eye. Ned knew what that look meant, she had worn the same look on her face six months ago when they had received a phone call from Lysa with the news that Jon Arryn had died from heart failure. Who could it have been this time? Was it Lysa, had she stopped taking her bipolar medication and was hospitalised? Was it Robb, had he been involved in a fight on his night out with Talisa? His heart began to race at the panic as he knew that his wife's facial expression could only mean that the Inspector had told her that something bad had happened to one of their nearest and dearest.

"Cat?" Ned asked quietly.

She cleared her throat, "I'm so sorry my love, but that was the Inspector on the phone. He said that you need to go into work earlier than usual tomorrow, they were called to the Baratheon's tonight." Catelyn explained, "Robert Baratheon was killed."

He thought his heart was going to stop beating as he tried to process what his wife had just told him. Robert, the man he had grown up with in the care of the Arryn family, the boy he went to school with was dead. Killed, he assumed in his own house.

"Did he say anything else?" he asked quietly.

"Forensics are there and his body has been taken for an autopsy. There's an officer with the family, apparently the Lannister's are devastated." Catelyn replied.

Ned scoffed slightly, "Devastated? You know what the Lannister's are like. Tywin will be happy that he's getting his company back." he muttered.

"Ned, you don't have to get involved if you don't want to. I know Robert was your friend but you've done enough over the years, let someone else take the case. It might get too personal." Cately said.

"That's why I need to do it Cat, I need to do it for Robert. His killer needs to be caught and put behind bars, that's the least I can do-"

"The least you can do? You've done too much for Robert already, don't get involved in a feud with Cersei Lannister. They've always hated us and we've always hated them, what if Cersei killed Robert? It's hardly a secret that their marriage was loveless. Or that smug brother of hers? I wouldn't put it past any of them to murder." Catelyn whispered, a tone of fear present in her voice.

Ned smiled slightly, "You worry too much but I need to do this. It's my job and Robert was my best friend, the sooner I help the better. We never have to set eyes on the damned Lannister's again." he assured her.

Catelyn returned the smile sleepily, "And it's my job to worry about you. Ned, you have a family that loves you, promise me; on the sake of our sons and daughters that you won't get into too much trouble? That'll you stay as far away from those lions unless necessary?" she implored.

He placed a light kiss to her forehead and nodded his promise before turning off the bedside lamp. Ned and Catelyn settled back down into bed, with Cat not too far away, holding his hand in assurance that she was there if he needed her. For that Ned was grateful but it didn't help him settle back into sleep, he was far too busy wondering who would have it in their head to kill his best friend.


	3. Cersei, Jaime

Flowers were pinned to the fences that surrounded her six bedroom house, phone calls from old friends of Robert's who passed on their condolences. Cards of grievance were received in the post each day and even their postman who she didn't know the name of said he was sad to hear of Robert's death. If Cersei was anything, she was a good actress. She feigned grief, pretended to cry to people on the phone and said to the postman that she was trying to be strong for the sake of her children.

It had been a day and a half since Tyrion had discovered Robert's body in the study. Everything that happened after that had been a blur, the police had been called and everyone had been taken aside for questioning; even her children which she thought was ridiculous. Her father had postponed operations at the company so he could support the officers during their investigation. Cersei didn't feel grief or sadness at her husband's murder, she felt free.

Her marriage to Robert had been arranged through her father when Robert helped to bail the company out. At first she thought he was quite fierce and that he'd provide for her comfortably. But her husband had no love for her and he wasn't even going to try to love her after he whispered 'Lyanna' into her ear after finishing on their wedding night. Since then she hated him and divorce wasn't an option.

She sat at the kitchen counter, mindlessly stirring her cereal around in the bowl; leaving it untouched. So much had happened in the last few days that she found herself wondering who would have killed her husband. There were a few, her father for one; Tywin had never made it a secret that he wanted the fifty-one percent of the company that Robert owned back in his possession. Then there was Jaime, her twin brother who had wanted to kill Robert since the day after her wedding night. She had overheard Tyrion joke that Joffrey could have been responsible, the boy had always wanted his father's approval and never got it, perhaps Joffrey had snapped. But Cersei couldn't believe that her eldest son would be capable of that.

There was a deep cough and she turned, smiling as her brother took the stool next to her.

"I have to say sweet sister that widowhood makes you look like you're glowing." Jaime complimented with a smirk.

Jaime helped himself to some cereal as Cersei pushed her own away, not feeling the appetite for breakfast. There was a lot to do, she had to give a statement to the police, talk to the lawyer about the will, sort out matters with the company, arrange the funeral.

"You seem particularly happy about the fact that I'm a widow now." Cersei muttered.

Jaime laughed quietly, pouring the milk into the bowl, "I'm happy that I don't have to share you with that fat oaf anymore. I thought you'd be pleased too." he replied.

"I am but I have to put on the act that I'm grieving and for the sake of the children-"

"My children." Jaime growled.

Cersei sighed, her brother had never taken it easy at the secret they had kept for the last fifteen years. All her children, Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen weren't Robert's biological children; they were Jaime's. Her twin brother, her lover was the only one she could talk to about her loveless marriage and they both knew that if they could they would have married each other a long time ago. But when their love affair had conceived Joffrey, it took her a lot persuading Jaime to keep the boy's true paternity a secret. Robert had always believed that that the three blonde haired children that he had fathered just got their looks from their mother.

"Jaime, we've been over this." she whispered, squeezing his hand lightly.

Her brother simply munched on his corn flakes, shrugging his shoulders.

"Everything's changed now Cersei. We don't have to pretend anymore. Robert's dead, we can tell the children that I'm really their father-"

Cersei hit him on the arm, "Be careful what you say, you know why we can't. Joffrey will go off the rails, Myrcella and Tommen are very young and if the truth came out it would devastate them all. Besides we would be sent to prison for an incestuous relationship and the children would be taken by social services. Father would disown us both-"

"Do you think I give a damn about father? He's hardly been a good one to you, me and Tyrion-"

"I can hardly blame him for his treatment of Tyrion, he killed our mother during childbirth-"

"Cersei she died of a blood clot, it's hardly Tyrion's fault." Jaime growled.

She shook her head, not wanting to argue about the one thing they always argued about when it came to Tyrion. Both of them had different views on the matter and it always ended with a heated and passionate tryst due to the anger that had built up between them. She didn't want that this time, not when she had her father, dwarf brother and children still asleep upstairs.

"Jaime, can we talk about this later? There's something else I need to ask you before the rest of them wake up." Cersei said softly.

"Ask then."

Cersei cleared her throat, dreading that he would take it the wrong way but she needed to know so that she could protect her brother whatever the cost.

"I know you saw Robert a short while before he was murdered, the waiter said it was pretty heated and angry between the two of you." Cersei whispered.

Jaime raised an eyebrow and scoffed, "You think I killed him?" he asked.

"You've said in the past that you would." Cersei pointed out.

"Because I hate the way he treated you, bedding whores from the company. Do you think I liked walking into his office to see some slag in his lap whilst he badmouthed you? I would have killed him a thousand times if you would have let me, but each time I offered you declined. Always the same excuses either the children or the company or father. So why are you suspecting me now?" Jaime yelled.

Cersei caressed her brother's cheek, knowing in her heart that he didn't kill her husband. He was the other half of her, she didn't feel whole without him but she knew that when the police would come asking their questions, people would say that Jaime and Robert fought and argued a lot and she needed to protect him from anything that the police would throw at them.

"I know you didn't kill Robert but Jaime you need to see that one person will say that you argued with my husband and they will arrest you because you had a motive. Jaime, tell me what went on between the two of you please, I can't lose you, I love you and I'll do whatever it takes to prevent anyone from taking you away from me." Cersei vowed.

As Jaime pulled her to him to embrace her, little did they know that outside the kitchen door, Myrcella had heard the last part of their conversation. The young girl felt her heart beating faster in her chest as she began to fear that a member of her own family could have been responsible for the death of her father.


	4. Roose, Petyr, Ned

Ned walked into the station that morning, dropping his jacket on the back of the chair to his desk before knocking on the door of the office to Detective Inspector Roose Bolton. When he got the permission to enter, his jaw dropped slightly. Sat in the occupied chair next to the desk sat a man he thought he'd never see again. A man of slender build, black hair streaked with grey and grayish green eyes which sent shivers down his spine; Petyr Baelish. The man who had been the foster brother of his wife and nicknamed 'Littlefinger' by his brother-in-law had never liked him and Ned had never liked Baelish, he believed him to be untrustworthy and a social climber throughout his years on the Metropolitan Police Service.

It was no secret that Petyr hated his family. Catelyn had first been engaged to his older brother Brandon and Littlefinger had professed his love for Cat and challenged Brandon to a fight which had ended up badly. Brandon had beaten Littlefinger to a pulp, causing internal bleeding that Baelish needed emergency surgery and still bore the scar. Luckily Cat convinced Baelish not to press charges; not that it mattered because two weeks later Ned received the news that his father and brother had died in a car accident.

"Long time Stark." Baelish greeted.

"It has, Littlefinger." Ned replied stiffly.

Things between the two men were tense and Roose Bolton noticed this, "I take it you two know each other?" Bolton asked.

"Yes we do. I was fostered by Stark's wife's family as a child." Baelish answered.

Ned sat in the chair next to Petyr, looking at his boss. Bolton cleared his throat, "As you both know, Robert Baratheon was murdered in his home two days ago. Forensics have gone over the crime scene and managed to find fingerprints but because there were a lot of people in the house we are going to have to track down everyone who was at that dinner party and take samples."

"How do you know it was murder? Baelish asked.

"One shot to the heart, estimated at one foot distance from where the body was found and where the shot was fired. The bullet was found in the victim's chest." Bolton replied.

"What about the gun?" Ned questioned.

"Still missing, we're waiting back for the ballistics report on the bullet to determine the type of gun used. At the moment forensics are searching within a three mile radius to see if the murder weapon or any other evidence has been dumped." Bolton said.

"Any suspects?" Baelish asked..

"Everyone at that party, the Lannisters are quite a shady family so start by going round there and interviewing the wife. She kept her last maiden name when she married Robert Baratheon and everyone in the city of London knows what kind of family the Lannister's are. Very secretive and shady, after the wife is interviewed I want you both to move on to Tywin Lannister, Robert's business partner. I'm putting you two in charge of this case, take a few PC's with you to interview multiple people if you have to, have their statements drawn up and brought to me by one o'clock. We need to start building this case file as soon as possible." Bolton commanded.

With a wave of Bolton's hand, Ned left the office with Petyr and closed the door behind the two of them. He hadn't seen Robert since Rickon was born, six years was along time. The last time he had spoken to his best friend was three months ago and that had mostly been a phonecall to have a catch up and a promise that they would meet up soon but that day would never come. Ned only lived an hour's drive from Robert's house but due to their working lives, it had been impossible to arrange a time to meet.

"I'm sorry for your loss Stark, I know you and Baratheon were close." Baelish said quietly.

"Keep your apologies, we both know you can't stand me so why pretend?" Ned asked.

The two men left the CID department and walked down the stairs which led to the public entrance.

"Whatever you may think of me is fine but we share a mutual friend who happens to be your wife. Stark, we're working closely on this case I want to try to be civil for Cat's sake. Catelyn Tully was like a sister to me, even if she didn't return the love I had for her." Baelish replied.

"I suppose."

"I warn you though, don't come to trust me." Littlefinger taunted.

Ned shook his head, "I won't ever trust you Baelish." he stated and two got into his car to drive to the Baratheon residence.


	5. Cersei, Ned

"Cersei, two detectives are here." Tywin called from the hall.

She heard the mumblings and the footsteps of their owners being led into the kitchen where she sat at the counter drinking a cup of coffee. Cersei had found herself getting fed up in the two days since her husband's murder, having unplugged the landline telephone because she was constantly getting phone calls from reporters asking for interviews with Robert Baratheon's widow or business partner but each time she declined. Now wasn't the time to give interviews about the murder of her husband, not because it pained her but because she didn't want to take her children out and about only for them to see interviews given by her splashed all over the tabloids.

"Mrs Baratheon-"

"It's _Lannister._" Cersei corrected, "I didn't take my husband's name when we married."

"I apologise." Baelish said, "I'm Detective Constable Baelish and this is my colleague Detective Sergeant Stark."

"It's nice to see you again Cersei." Ned said politely.

"Is it Detective Stark? You've never made it a secret to my husband that you disliked me so please don't make a pretence just because Robert is dead and you feel curteous to be polite." Cersei replied.

"Miss Lannister, can we call you that?" Baelish asked.

"Just Cersei will do."

The two Detectives took to a seat at the small wooden circular table in the corner of the kitchen, with Cersei still sitting where she was at the kitchen counter. Tywin stood in the doorway, making it evident that he wasn't going anywhere.

"We need to ask you some questions about the night your husband was killed." Ned stated.

"Ask away but I won't keep repeating myself." Cersei replied.

"Today is us taking a formal statement and we'll need one from your father as well and your brothers if they were here." Baelish added.

"Ask away then."

Ned cleared his throat, "Can you tell us the events of the night from your perspective." he requested.

"Rob was in his study, getting ready for a dinner party that we throw once every three months. The purpose of doing so is the company my husband co-owned with my father gets it's financial reports in every quarter and we celebrate how well the company is doing. The last time I saw my husband was at six o'clock where he told me he would be in the study getting ready and didn't want to be disturbed. The party started at seven o'clock and by half past he still hadn't come down. I asked my brother Tyrion to fetch him and then it was discovered my husband had been killed." Cersei recalled.

"Was your husband speaking with anyone in the lead up to the party?" asked Ned, writing down on his pathetically small notepad.

Cersei shrugged, "Robert liked to lead his own life so I let him. I was too busy greeting guests that had arrived early." she replied.

"What about the children, would they have seen anything?" Baelish questioned.

"Leave my children out of this, they were with their Uncle the whole time."

"Which Uncle?"

"Tyrion."

"But you said Tyrion discovered the body."

Cersei rolled her eyes, "They were with Tyrion the whole time in the build up to the party. At seven o'clock they took to the dining room with me and the rest of the guests." she clarified.

Ned nodded, continuing to write on his notepad as Baelish looked at her suspiciously.

"Has the coroner established cause of death yet?" Tywin interrupted.

Baelish turned to face the old man, "Shot once through the heart. We're looking for the gun presently." Petyr answered.

"Gun?" Cersei asked.

"Yes a gun."

"Robert kept a gun in his safe at the company headquarters." Tywin mentioned.

Ned stood up as did Baelish and both turned to face Tywin Lannister. Cersei met her father's gaze, having never known that her husband would keep a weapon locked in a safe. Robert had never struck her as the type of man that would need one.

"Mr Lannister we need you to take us to Mr Baratheon's office and open the safe, we need to determine if this gun is still in there not." Ned said urgently.

"Give me five minutes to get ready." Tywin muttered.

Her father left the room and Cersei felt her heart begin to beat faster in her chest. She knew that Robert had a safe in his office having seen it on the very few occasions where she had visited him at work but she never knew the combination but she knew of a few people who did and two of those people were her father and Jaime.

"Cersei I apologise for the interruption, can we continue this interview at another time?" Ned asked.

"We can Detective Stark now if you'll excuse me I have to make funeral arrangements." Cersei replied.

"I want to be there when everything is done, to pay my respects. Your husband was my oldest and best friend and I need to say my goodbyes. If you need anything-"

Cersei held up her hand and he fell silent, a look of annoyance on his face at her rudeness but she didn't care. Ned Stark had never liked her and she had never liked him but she wasn't going to accept his offers of help or support during this time.

"Thank you but I have my family around me for support. I'll let you know the date and time of the funeral it will be in London." she said.

"In London? The Baratheon tradition is that they're buried up North in the crypt that his family bought-"

"Detective Stark it's none of your business where my husband is buried. The north of the country doesn't agree with my children's health so it'll be in London." Cersei stated.

"Have a nice day Cersei." Ned muttered bitterly, leaving the room and heading out after Baelish and Tywin Lannister.

Cersei sat at the counter, her coffee now cold but her heart continued to pound in her chest. What if this gun was missing from the safe when her father and the Detectives got to the office? What if the gun was used to kill her husband and what if her father or brother had something to do with it? She didn't know what to do but she decided she needed to wait and hear whether this gun was the one used as the murder weapon before talking more with Jaime on the matter.

* * *

**A/N: So I'd like to hear your theories on who the murderer is on the chapters I've given so far, it'll be an interesting read for me to see what the readers of this story think. More to come soon :)**


	6. Tywin

The drive to the office from Cersei's house was a short one, thirty minutes more or less. The only people at the office were the security guards trying to keep the press out of the lobby with their flashing cameras and the few members of staff working to take care of things whilst the company was 'closed' as a mark of respect for Robert's death. Tywin led the two officers over to the lifts, pressing the button for the top floor as they waited.

"Do you know the safe combination?" Baelish muttered to him.

Tywin nodded, "Detective, I make it my business to know what my business partner was up to." he replied.

"And what was he up to?" Ned questioned.

The bell for the lift pinged as the doors opened and all three stepped inside, ignoring the commotion of the press snapping away their camera's trying to get photographs of the three of them. The three were silent as they rode the lift to the top floor, stepping out with the same ping that had happened when they had entered the lift. Tywin led the three of them past the various empty offices and past his own and to the one that had belonged to Robert.

The walls were painted ivory with various posters and graphs depicting the company's success, various pictures of Robert with important people throughout the business world, one of Robert and Tywin. A glass desk sat in the centre of the room, opposite the large windows that let the light in and an amazing view of the City of London. The company, Kings Landing Incorporated, specialised in the selling of gold from the gold mines they owned around the world.

The two detectives watched as Tywin went over to the wall behind the desk, pulling aside the large photograph that took up the majority of the wall. Behind the photograph was a safe embedded into the wall. The detectives watched as he pressed the buttons on the keypad before opening the safe, revealing the contents that Robert Baratheon liked to keep hidden from the world.

"What is the combination?" Ned asked, out of curiosity.

Tywin turned and walked a few paces away from the safe in order to allow the detectives to look through.

"Your dead sister's birthday." he muttered in reply.

Ned stiffened slightly and Tywin suspected that the friend of his now deceased son-in-law knew that the Lannisters held a grudge against Robert for pining after a dead girl when he was married into one of the richest families in the country.

"There's no gun." Baelish announced, taking off the plastic gloves that he had only put on minutes ago.

"When was the last time you saw the gun Mr Lannister?" Ned asked.

"Two days ago, I happened to walk in on Robert having a heated discussion with a young girl as he was putting some documents in his safe, the gun was sitting in it's usual place on the left." Tywin answered.

"We'll be taking everything from the safe, evidence that could be relevant." Ned stated.

"And if it isn't I'd like it to be returned to me." Tywin said icily.

"Of course." Baelish replied.

"Mr Lannister, can you think of anyone who could do this?" Ned asked.

Twyin laughed, "Surely Detective Stark you knew your best friend? Robert was a drunken fool who mostly kept the business side of our business down to me. He had a long list of people who he annoyed, including the thirty-three secretaries he's had in the last year alone. I can get you a list of all the employees he fucked before firing as well as a list of clients who may have held a grudge against Robert Baratheon. My son-in-law wasn't perfect but there are those who call him usurper because he took the place of Viserys Targaryen when I needed a partner to buy in to this company."

"It's hard to forget that you betrayed your old friend Aerys." Ned said stiffly.

His jaw tightened, Tywin hated it when people who knew the Targaryens would bring up his history with the old family. Aerys had been his friend since their boarding school days but after it emerged that he had been having an incestuous relationship with his sister, he had reported his friend to the authorities and Aerys's three children, the now deceased Rhaegar, Viserys and Daenerys were taken into care.

He remembered the days when the company was in danger of falling into chaos and he desperately needed a buyer to save it. Aerys had died in prison, the press having uncovered that most Targaryens were a result of incestuous breeding and he had eventually gone mad and killed himself. But the Targaryens were a wealthy family and when the sixteen year old heir to Aerys's estate came waltzing in demanding compensation for what had been done to his father. But as he had almost agreed to the deal with Viserys, Robert had come along and he had decided he would rather do business with the Baratheons than the Targaryen boy who knew nothing.

"Aerys was always troubled, even so when we were at school together. But I don't regret what I did." Tywin replied icily.

"Would you have married your daughter to Viserys Targaryen if you had agreed to the deal?"

"Cersei was nearly graduated from university, it would have been wrong to marry her to a sixteen year old. Besides, what's done is done. Now if you don't mind, you've searched the safe and found Robert's gun missing. Collect Robert's documents, whatever you need and go. If you'll excuse me."

Twyin left the two detectives to look through Robert's safe as he exited his business partner's office and walked down the hallway to his own, making sure that his office door was locked before he went over to his own safe, punching in the combination and quickly opening the door. He picked up the resealed envelope and folded it into his jacket pocket along with a DVD in a plastic cover, along with the small handwriting of _Jaime, Robert. _The CCTV footage that he had discovered two days prior to Robert's murder.

"A Lannister always pays his debts." Tywin muttered to himself.

* * *

**A/N: Just a note, I'm unsure of character ages in the books/show and as this is an AU fic, I can sort of take the character's ages in my own direction. But please let me know your thoughts and I hoped you all enjoyed reading this chapter. **


	7. Ned, Baelish

It turned out that Tywin was quite co-operative in their ongoing investigation, having given the force an entire list of employees that Robert had slept with and fired prior to his death. Sadly, Ned had yet to find one of them who had any other motive that 'He slept with me, fired me and refused to acknowledge that I existed' which was the most common for all the female employees that Robert had fucked.

They were interviewing the last few, with one girl currently sitting in the interview room waiting for Baelish. The girl sat in the chair looked nervous, her blue eyes wandering around the darkened room which was dimly lit by a flickering bulb that the caretaker had yet to replace. Ned watched her from behind the glass which she couldn't see through, a shaky hand tucking a stray lock of brown hair behind her ear. The girl's name was Mhaegen Waters, an unemployed eighteen year old girl who had been employed as an assistant, one of the many in Robert's years at King's Landing Incorporated, to Robert Baratheon. Ned knew very little about the girl, mostly that her mother owned a pub in Mitcham and that she had taken on the position within Robert's company as work experience as part of her business studies AS Level for sixth form.

Ned watched as Baelish entered the room, closing the door and smiling his usual creepy way. The poor girl looked terrified but she had agreed to come down to the station and answer some questions that would eliminate her from their enquiries. Baelish turned on the tape recorder, stating the date, time, who was present in the room before turning to face Mhaegen.

"Miss Waters, can you please tell me when you first met Robert Baratheon?" Baelish asked.

Mhaegen nodded, "He...he was in his office, about a year ago, just over a year ago now. I knocked on his door and went into his office and he was stood there, the most handsome man I've ever seen. Mr Baratheon sat me down, asked me a few questions and said I had the job after a successful two week work experience in the mail room." she told the detective.

"How long did you work for him?"

"Only a few weeks. I thought we had a special connection, he told me I was pretty and that I gave him desires that he shouldn't have. He was good to me, treated me with respect and the few weeks that we were together were quite happy for me." Mhaegen answered.

"Were you in love with him? Were you aware that he had a wife?"

Mhaegen nodded, a look of shame coming across her face, "I was a kid, I didn't know any better. He was my first, our time together meant a lot to me." she mumbled.

"When was the last time you saw Mr Baratheon?"

The girl hesitated, "I can't remember exactly." she muttered.

Baelish nodded and switched off the tape recorder, telling her that she was free to go and thanking her for helping them out with their inquiries. Ned rubbed his forehead, out of all the secretaries they had interviewed, they found that it was quite possible that the murderer was someone quite close to Robert and that interviewing his former staff was turning out to be a waste of time. Even the more recent secretaries couldn't tell them anything about Robert clashing with any clients in the last few weeks prior to his death and Ned was beginning to believe that the Lannisters had involvement.

The door opened and Baelish stepped inside the room, "Yet another who has proven to be a waste of time. I still think we should keep questioning the Lannisters, the entire family hated him. There's also the Targaryens, we should also question his younger brothers-"

"Stannis and Renly as far as I know weren't anywhere near the party that night." Ned interrupted.

"His brothers couldn't stand him, they're suspects until we eliminate them. Stark, we've got a job to do, make contact with the brothers and bring them in for questioning."

Ned sighed, "It might be a waste of time-"

"Stark, we have a case to solve. I know it must be hard for you, interviewing these people and telling us who Robert was when he was your best friend. But nobody is perfect and Robert was a womaniser, he fucked girls behind his wife's back and pissed off a lot of people, including his former secretaries. Put aside your personal feelings and do the job we have to do, otherwise Bolton will throw you off the case." Baelish warned.

Ned nodded and left the room, heading to the cafeteria to get himself a decent cup of coffee instead of the stuff from the vending machine. As much as Baelish annoyed him, he was right. Robert hadn't been perfect and in order to bring the justice that his best friend deserved, he had to put aside his struggles at hearing people say the worst things possible about Robert. Maybe Baelish was right, maybe it was worth interviewing those a little closer to home, maybe the Lannisters were more involved than what they were letting on or it might be possible that Stannis and Renly could know something that might help with their investigation.


	8. Ned, Roose

"Ah DS Stark, take a seat." Bolton greeted, gesturing to the chair on the other side of his desk.

Ned took to his seat, wondering why Bolton had called him into the office first thing. It had been a week and a half since Robert's murder and Ned was hoping that there would be the news back from the autopsy.

"Why did you ask for me sir?" Ned asked.

Bolton handed Ned a large, brown envelope; the seal already broken which indicated that the contents had already been read by Bolton. Ned took the envelope, pulling out the sheets of paperwork inside, the first line read that it was the results from the autopsy report performed on Robert Baratheon.

"The autopsy report confirms that the bullet that was in the victim's body, matches the ones that would be used to the type of gun the victim owned."

Ned placed the coroner's report on the desk in front of him, "Have the search team found the gun yet?" he asked.

Bolton sighed heavily, shaking his head as he leaned forward.

"I've ordered them to extend their search for another week, if we can't find it or pinpoint who the murderer was then the case is going to stall. Currently the Lannisters are under suspicion so I want you to dig deep into their history, find out what quarrels the wife, the brother-in-law and the father-in-law had with the victim. We need to start pinpointing who had the biggest motive to get rid of Robert Baratheon." Bolton instructed.

Ned felt a surge of hate towards his boss. The way that Bolton was speaking about his best friend was as if Robert was just another murder victim who he had been assigned to catch the murderer. Robert had been his oldest friend, from the days they got into boyish scraps on the playground at the age of six and he was finding it difficult to detach himself from the connection they had. He was finding it difficult acting like this was just any other murder investigation.

"I'll find out who killed him, Robert deserves justice." he promised.

Bolton smiled slightly, a rare occurrence, "You're an honest man Stark. Always working hard and devoting yourself to the job." he complimented.

"Thank you Inspector."

"Another reason I called you in for a private meeting, other than discussing the murder investigation, is that Detective Chief Inspector Mormant is retiring and I'm being offered his position when that happens."

"Congratulations Sir."

"When I get promoted someone else will too. Mormant wants you to take my job when I take his. Stark, solve this case and solve it efficiently then you will become Detective Inspector Stark. Baelish will become a Detective Sergeant." Bolton replied.

Ned felt stunned, he was getting promoted. A job promotion so that he would be second in charge in the Crime Investigation department, it was an honour. He couldn't wait to phone Cat and tell her about it.

"Just keep it to yourself for now, I don't want the entire force knowing that promotions are being offered."

"Of course."

Bolton dismissed him from the office and Ned went back to his desk to check his mobile phone. He had a missed call from a number that wasn't saved to his contact list. After switching on his computer and running the number through the system it came up with the result that the phone number was the one that belonged to Cersei Lannister.

He dialled the number into the phone keypad and put it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Cersei, it's DS Stark. I have a missed call from your phone number." he said.

"DS Stark, I thought you'd like to know that the funeral is next Tuesday. My father is arranging the details, he'll call you to let you know the time and place." Cersei replied icily.

"Thank you for letting me know. He was my best friend, it wouldn't be right if I didn't-"

"DS Stark, you're only invited to come because my husband would've wanted you there. Now I suggest that you get back to solving my husband's murder, I shouldn't keep you from your work."

He heard the dial on the end of the phone which suggested that Cersei had hung up on him, she always had been rude to him. Not that he cared. But she was right, he had a job to do and to do that job he had to dig a little deeper into the Lannister's history.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you enjoy this chapter, it's the only one there will be for a few weeks so I can focus on university assignments. Also if you want to read my two oneshots for GOT they're called Devotion and Valonqar, feel free to let me know your thoughts :)**


	9. Cersei

"Cersei, are you ready?" Tywin called.

Tying the end to her plait, Cersei looked in the mirror one last time. Today was the day that she would be saying goodbye to her husband for the final time and the person she saw in the mirror wasn't one who looked like they were grieving. She knew what she had to do, she had to watch her brothers-in-law and a few others carry the coffin into the local church, listen to eulogies and speeches about how wonderful her husband had been and then there would be the wake at the offices of the company. Tywin had arranged it all, having said that the house was an inappropriate place to hold the wake as it was where her husband had been killed.

"I'm coming." Cersei shouted, knowing her father was growing impatient.

She fastened the clasp on the famous Lannister locket with the lion crest of their family around her neck, letting the whole world know that she was a Lannister through and through and just because her husband had died she wouldn't pretend for one minute longer that she was a Baratheon. Exiting the bedroom that was now solely hers, she descended the stairs to see that Myrcella was already crying and Joffrey sulking; clearly her fifteen year old had been teasing his eleven year old sister. Tommen, a boy of ten now, was standing next to Tyrion puffy eyed. The loss of their 'father' had deeply affected her younger two children.

"The cars is here, it can seat six." Tywin explained.

"I'll go with Jaime and the children." Cersei replied.

Myrcella opened the front door, the whole Lannister family exiting the house and climbing into the limousine. Cersei had always hated funeral transportation, it was hardly suitable to call it a limousine in her opinion. Firstly, unlike the limousines she had been in during her liftetime, the funeral ones were seven doors, six for passengers and the boots. The children climbed into the back, Joffrey playing a game on his smartphone and Tommen and Myrcella staring out of the windows, staying completely silent.

Cersei and Jaime climbed into the middle, buckling their seatbelts and watching as the hearse began to pull out of the driveway; with them following it. Jaime placed a hand on her knee which caused her to swallow hard. She hoped that to others, if they should be watching, that Jaime was simply being the supportive twin brother and offering her comfort during a difficult time. But Cersei knew different. Since Robert's death, Jaime had been all over her and she over him, their love affair at it's highest passion because her fat husband no longer stood between them. She was free, free from a marriage of the last twenty years that had her feeling trapped and scared in the fear that Robert would find out her secret.

"I'll be here Cerse." Jaime whispered.

She nodded, "I know you are but be there for the children." Cersei instructed.

"Of course."

Cersei smiled slightly, "I don't know how I would get through this without you." she whispered.

"There is nothing I wouldn't do for you dear sister." Jaime replied softly.

Her smile faded, "We need to speak later, in private." she instructed.

Jaime sighed heavily and looked out the window, retracting his hand from her knee. Cersei knew what this was all about; he still hadn't shared with her what had happened between him and Robert on the night of the murder. She needed to know, the detectives had been sniffing around their family a lot more in the weeks following Robert's death and DS Stark and DC Baelish had informed her that the murder weapon was Robert's own gun and they still hadn't located it. Cersei knew what they probably thought; that one of the Lannister family were responsible for her husband's murder. She worried about the argument that her brother had had with Robert that night and she needed to know so that she could protect him no matter what. The last thing she wanted was for the police to prove that Jaime had a motive to murder Robert Baratheon.

"I'll tell you in my own time." Jaime said through gritted teeth.

"Jaime, your own time isn't good enough." Cersei snapped back quietly.

The children in the back remained oblivious to their mother and uncle's conversation. They merely sat as they had done when they had left the house, that was until the limousine pulled up the driveway and stopped before an early nineteenth century church. Cersei exited the car, glaring at the disapproving looks that came from Renly and Stannis Baratheon, she was surprised that they had even bothered to turn up today. It was common knowledge that Robert's two younger brothers hated him, although Robert always got along better with Renly than Stannis.

"Morning Cersei, looking radiant as ever." Stannis greeted stiffly.

Cersei put on her best fake smile, "I'm surprised you could make it, you always said that London didn't agree with you, Stannis." she replied.

"It was you who always said that the north of England didn't agree with your children." Stannis pointed out.

"As parents we do what we think is best for our children. I see that Shireen isn't here."

"She's at home with Selyse. I thought it best not to bring her, if I had she would only have been mocked by the likes of your boy." Stannis growled.

Cersei stared at him icily, "You forget that he is Robert's boy too, if you're going to disrespect the son of your brother than I kindly ask that you leave for Lincoln now." she demanded.

"He doesn't look a thing like Robert. A Lannister through and through." Stannis spat.

But before Cersei could reply, she felt a familiar hand on her shoulder. She didn't need to turn her head because she knew it was her brother standing behind her; the only person in the world where she didn't need confirmation when he was there because she already knew.

"I didn't realise it was possible for the children to take after their mother. If you ask me, they're better off looking like Cersei. Robert was a drunken fool." Jaime growled.

Stannis lowered his eyes, "This isn't over Lannister." he vowed.

Jaime smirked, "Take me on by all means Baratheon but I hardly see you as a challenge." he mocked.

Cersei couldn't help but smile at the furious look on her brother-in-laws face and Renly's slightly amused one but neither said anything else because the undertaker was gesturing that it was time for the ceremony to start. Before Cersei went into the church, she stopped to see the Stark family arriving, all six children in tow; of course only five of them were the children of the wife: Catelyn Tully.

"Cersei, I'm deeply sorry for your loss." Catelyn said softly.

She smiled slightly, "Thank you, it would mean a lot to my husband that you are all here. He spoke of the Stark family in high spirits." she complimented.

Catelyn returned the smile, heading inside the church with the children whilst Ned stood with Cersei outside, alone.

"I hope the funeral isn't keeping you from the investigation." Cersei commented.

"The DCI has given me two days off from work to attend the funeral and the day off after to process everything that has happened. I'll be returning to work on Thursday." Ned explained.

"Have you made any developments?"

Ned frowned slightly, "I can't discuss the case here. I'll speak to the DCI and DC Baelish and myself will be in touch to discuss the matter." he said quietly.

"I expect an update DS Stark, don't allow distractions to keep you from your work" she replied.

Nothing else was said as she headed inside the church and took her seat in the front row next to the children, Tommen was already crying and Joffrey was sneering the crying was for babies but Cersei didn't say anything. She simply wrapped an arm lazily around Tommen and hugged her son, all standing as the coffin was carried in and placed on a table at the altar.

The vicar made the introductions to the service, a hymn or two were sung but Cersei didn't know the words to them; she hardly paid attention to anything that was happening during the service. Her father made a speech at how Robert would be missed dearly and that he had left behind a legacy, amusing her on the inside. It wasn't Robert's legacy, it was Tywin Lannister's legacy. The company, the house, the children that had secretly been fathered by Jaime were all the Lannister legacy not the Baratheon legacy.

Another hymn was sung after speeches were said and done and it was time for the coffin to be carried out into the graveyard. The all followed, a sea of black all grieving the loss of Robert Baratheon. They surrounded a freshly dug grave, six feet deep and watched as the coffin was lowered into the ground; with Cersei, Tommen, Myrcella and Joffrey each throwing a rose onto the bronze plaque that bore the name and dates of Robert's life span. It was over, her husband was buried and she was free. Her eyes briefly went to meet Ned's stare and she return his stare with a cold gaze, knowing full well that her husband's best friend was growing suspicious over her and her family.

* * *

**A/N: I'm leaving it there, next chapter will come soon. Sorry the updates haven't been so frequent, university is taking up a lot of my time at the moment and I've had to finish assignments. I hope you liked this chapter so please let me know your thoughts :)**


	10. Jaime, Tywin

"Father, are you here?" Jaime called, closing the front door to his father's house behind him.

There was no answer from the ground floor of the house that he, Cersei and Tyrion had grew up in so he knew that if his father was home he would most likely be in his office. He moved from the hall to the kitchen, sitting at the breakfast bar with his eyes narrowing as he looked at the paperwork set down on the counter top. The usual opened letters from the water and phone companies with their monthly bills, bank statements, letters from business associates that his father had delivered to the house rather than the company headquarters, and an envelope; marked with his father's writing, only two words on it: Robert, Jaime.

He looked at the envelope, taking out the contents to see that it was the files that he had presented to Robert shortly before his brother-in-law had been killed. There was a DVD included in the envelope but Jaime didn't get a chance to put it into a DVD player in the living room, his father stood in the doorway to the kitchen, looking as solemn as ever.

"I didn't hear you come in." Tywin greeted, almost coldly.

"I called but I assumed you were in your office." Jaime replied.

"I was." Tywin confirmed, "I was sorting out the paperwork of Robert's will, your sister has agreed that it be in Joffrey's best interests that I act as regent until the boy comes of age. Robert left his ownership of the company to Joffrey, the boy seems thrilled and is already trying to make plans."

Jaime snorted in amusement, of course Joffrey would try and take control in order to prove he was the man of the Baratheon household now that his 'father' was dead.

"Are you going to take Joffrey under your wing? Show him the ropes so to speak?" Jaime asked.

Tywin shook his head firmly, "He's already throwing his toys out of the pram because I told him that he would have plenty of time to learn once he had finished his education." he replied.

"Let me guess, by Joffrey's definition his education finishes next year when he's completed secondary school?"

"And by my definition it's university."

Tywin snatched the envelope and DVD from Jaime's hands, placing it in one of the kitchen drawers that made Jaime look at his father suspiciously. He had an idea how his father had come to be by what was in the envelope, considering that Robert had taken them from him before he died, but he had no idea why Tywin had them in his home.

"I suppose you've seen the paperwork?" Jaime asked.

"I have," Tywin confirmed, "The DVD is the CCTV footage of you and Robert arguing, quite heavily might I add, two days before your brother-in-law is murdered."

Jaime's eyes narrowed as he looked at his father, there was only one reason why his father would keep those files here along with a DVD that captured his motive for killing Robert. Tywin must believe that he was responsible for the fat oaf's murder.

"You think I did it?" Jaime accused in disbelief.

Twyin neither confirmed or denied Jaime's accusation, he simply opened the drawer again and chucked the DVD inside before closing it again.

"You're a Lannister, my heir to my fortune. I did what I had to do in taking those files, if Stark got hold of them then you'd be sitting in a police cell asking me for a lawyer." Tywin replied stiffly.

"You're so quick to believe I murdered Robert?"

Tywin nodded, "You've never liked him, you were so against your sister marrying him.."

The rest of Tywin's speech was drowned out as Jaime reminisced about the time that Tywin had announced to the family that Cersei would be engaged to Robert in return of Robert bailing the company out. He had been angry, with Cersei trying to protest at the time until Tywin had struck her and told her that she'd do what she was told to do. When Jaime had tried to reason with his father that Cersei deserved better, Tywin had stated that they were all his children and they would do his bidding. There was no reasoning with his father on that one, the whole family had been confined to their rooms after dinner that night because the atmosphere was too tense and argumentative. He had gone to Cersei's room past midnight to talk with her about her engagement, Cersei had said that she would marry Robert and their love affair would continue; as it had done since their early teenage years. But after they had fucked that night, the morning came and each morning since their father had broken the news he had tried to argue with his father to try and get Tywin to change his mind about Cersei marrying a man like she was a business deal.

"Just because I never liked the man and the fact that we argued in the office two days before he ended up dead in his own home, doesn't mean I killed him!" Jaime shouted.

"You're hiding something Jaime! Those files tell me that much and the reasons for it are unknown. You're going to tell me everything that you know about Robert's murder because I need to know how much I need to keep from getting out. You're a Lannister and we have a certain image to uphold-"

"Keep the damned file! I'm not telling you anything and I certainly don't care about this family's public image!" Jaime spat, rising from his seat and leaving the kitchen.

He ignored the calls of his father and slammed the front door behind him, getting into his car and driving away from his childhood home. There was too much at stake if the truth were to come out and he was determined that he wasn't going to be the one to come clean about what he knew.


	11. Baelish

Baelish watched as Ned placed his phone down on the desk, rubbing his forehead in frustration as he returned with two cups of coffee from the vending machine. His fellow detective had just finished a phone call with his wife to tell her that they would be working late. The Robert Baratheon murder case was stalling; the gun still hadn't been found and their suspect list wasn't being narrowed down either. The contents of Robert's safe was still being looked through when Baelish picked up a folder with one word on it: Targaryen.

"Why would Robert have a file named Targaryen in his safe?" Baelish mused, opening the folder and spilling out the contents on to the desk in front of him.

Ned looked over the desk with interest, picking up what looked like written correspondence between Viserys Targaryen and Robert Baratheon in the last few months leading up to Robert's desk. Some of the letters were quite hostile as the pair of them picked up some of the letters and began to read what Viserys had written to Robert, adding one more person to their suspect list.

The lights above them flickered as Baelish rolled his eyes, the electric in the Crime Investigation Department had always been rubbish. He looked over at Ned who had placed down the letter he had been reading and watched as his colleague let out an exhausted sigh.

"One more person added." Ned muttered.

"Viserys Targaryen would have a strong motive for murder." Baelish said quietly, his voice as raspy as always.

"The letters add to that, not one nice word was shared in his letters to Robert." Ned replied.

"Stark, it's been a long night. I think that we need to go home, sleep it off and look for the Targaryen heir in the morning." Baelish suggested.

Ned nodded his agreement and the two started to tidy away the letters and other files that they had been looking through, locking them away in Ned's desk and switching off the lights. The two men left the station, saying their goodbyes before getting into each of their cars and driving away from the police station. Baelish watched as Ned took the left at the traffic lights; on his way home to his family while he took the right. He wasn't in a hurry to get home to sleep in his empty bed in his one bedroom flat. Instead he drove for a while, through Croyden and made his way to Mitcham; possibly one of the most grim boroughs. He switched off the car engine when he reached his destination; an abandoned block of flats that he had the pleasure of owning. He had spent some time revamping each flat and sorted out the decor, the plumbing so that the living conditions were suitable.

Baelish got out of the car, walking across the road and opening the security door to meet a red headed woman in the lobby. She was slim, holding a whip and riding crop and greeted him with a toothy smile.

"Ros, I trust you've been keeping the girls in order?" Baelish asked.

The woman nodded, "Some of the girls are entertaining at the moment, Mhaegen finished her shift half an hour ago because of that damned baby of hers. It keeps the girls up half the night and disrupts the men who visit." Ros complained.

"The poor girl had nowhere else to go, need you be reminded that she's your friend and you're the one who introduced her to me?" Baelish growled.

Ros shook her head, "Her mother's always been a bit horrible. Still, how did you convince her not to rat you out when you had her at the station a few weeks back?" she asked.

"Mhaegen's a good girl. She knows the consequences if she rats me out for this." Baelish said quietly.

"I think we all do." Ros muttered.

"You just focus on keeping our guests entertained, let me worry about keeping my life a secret."

"Aren't your colleagues suspicious?"

Baelish looked at her through narrowed eyes, "Not in the slightest. I've been doing this for years." he hissed.

"I didn't mean that-"

But Ros didn't finish her sentence because Baelish had slapped her round the cheek. Her skin flamed as red as her hair and she fell to the floor with a painful whimper in her throat.

"Don't question me again! Get back to work!" Baelish said in a threateningly snarl, leaving the lobby to return to his car.

He didn't look back as Ros pulled herself back up again, he merely got into his car and drove away; feeling angry that one of his prostitutes dared to ever question him, regardless of whether she was the one he had hired to keep the girls in check. Nobody would ever suspect Petyr Baelish of being a bent copper and he was determined to keep it that way.

ooOoo

The next morning Baelish went into the CID freshly showered and full of life after having a full night's sleep and relaxation and as he took one look at his colleague, he knew that Stark hadn't been able to sleep during the night.

"Morning Stark, didn't sleep well?" Baelish greeted.

Ned shook his head, "This case keeps me up well into the night so I came in before Bolton got here. I found an address for the Targaryens, they live in Sutton." he replied.

"Fast work." Baelish complimented.

The two men quickly grabbed a coffee from the vending machine in the hall outside of the CID and headed down the stairs and out into the staff car park; both climbing in Ned's car and driving to the address that Ned had found during his search of the system for the Targaryens. Baelish didn't know much about the Targaryens other than what Ned had mentioned about them. Aerys had been a friend to Tywin, the entire family had mostly been inbred and produced children from incestuous relationships. Aerys had died in prison, his eldest son Rhaegar had died shortly after his younger sister Daenerys had been born and their mother had died in childbirth when the girl had been born.

The two came to a row of terraced houses, each with a driveway covered with stones. Baelish followed Ned along the pavement until they reached the third house on the end and knocked on the door. A girl answered, perhaps woman was the more correct term because she was no longer the little girl that Ned had described who had been handed over to social services. Her long silver blonde hair fell down her back and the baby she carried in her arms looked nothing like the Targaryen girl.

"Can I help you?" the girl asked, cradling the baby who began to fuss.

"DS Stark, DC Baelish," Ned introduced, "We're looking for Viserys Targaryen."

The woman sighed, "You'd better come in." she said, leading the way into the house.

Baelish closed the front door behind them and walked through to the small living room; decorated in cream fur carpets and cream sofas. They all sat down, with the woman placing the baby into the blue Moses basket next to her seat.

"I'm Daenerys Targaryen," the woman introduced, "May I ask what you want my brother for?"

"Your brother was in contact with Robert Baratheon." Ned replied.

The woman's face stiffened slightly, "The usurper?" she asked.

Baelish nodded, "Whatever you wish to refer to him as, Robert Baratheon was murdered and we have evidence that your brother was in contact with Robert in the weeks leading up to the murder."

Daenerys nodded, "I understand that you wish to question Viserys to see if he is a suspect but I'm sorry to tell you that my brother committed suicide three months ago so he didn't have a part in the murder."

"Suicide?"

The last Targaryen nodded, "Viserys was...troubled. He didn't like the way we grew up in foster care, our brother was dead, our mother died giving birth to me. Our father died in prison thanks to Tywin Lannister and he hated being separated from me. He always looked after me and so when I met my husband and we married he didn't like it. He said I belonged with him and not to Drogo and when I had my son Rhaego he went away, I refused to go with him. The next morning, I received the news that he had been found dead, the coroner ruled he had killed himself." she explained.

"I'm sorry for your loss, we won't bother you any further." Ned replied.

The two officers left the house and climbed back into Stark's car, driving away with the news that their suspect list hadn't grown at all but remained the same and Baelish knew that Stark was all the more determined to find out who the killer was.


	12. Jaime, Cersei

The sound of the front door being opened and the slight conversation between her son and brother made Cersei lift her head, she hadn't been expecting Jaime to stop by tonight but then again Jaime rarely told her if he was coming to see her. Joffrey was heading out with his friends for a few hours and the younger children were already settled into bed for the night, it was just her; debating whether to have a curry or a Chinese takeaway. Jaime entered the living room, eyeing up the menus that she was holding in her hands.

"Another night of not cooking?" he asked.

Cersei nodded lazily, "I'm thinking of hiring a housekeeper. Being a domestic goddess has never been my forte." she replied.

"The domestic part anyway." Jaime agreed, taking a seat next to her.

"But the goddess part?"

Jaime leaned into her, smelling the lavender shower gel that she had used that morning. She smiled slyly, she knew how much Jaime loved the smell of lavender on her skin.

"Are the children asleep?" he whispered, moving her hair away from her neck.

Cersei closed her eyes as she felt his lips meet her pulse point and moaned softly, "Yes, we shan't be disturbed." she whispered back.

Jaime chuckled as he withdrew from her neck, irritating her that he was going to make her wait. It was almost a game, Jaime would do something like that because he knew how easily she could succumb to him; only he could make her give in with that much ease. Her love affair with Jaime was something only the two of them understood and only Jaime could do things like that to her. Robert was never much of a lover, most of the time he was too drunk when he fell into her bed and after a little bit of what Robert called foreplay he would pass out sleeping; she would finish him off in other ways and the next morning her husband would wake up and assume that they had done the deed. This happened all three times that her children had been conceived, Robert was dimwitted when it came to the conception of her children.

"Are you eating dinner with me?" Cersei asked, bringing her attention back to the menus.

"Why not? Although I'd prefer a curry." Jaime replied.

Cersei picked up the phone, dialling the number for the local takeaway and placed her order. All the while Jaime had taken off his shoes and placed his feet up on the coffee table; switching the TV on and started to flick through the channels to see if there was anything remotely interesting to watch.

"Making yourself at home are you?"

Jaime nodded lazily and stretched out his arms as he decided to settle on watching an episode of Top Gear that was starting, "Sweet sister, you need to relax more. Pacing won't do you any good." he drawled.

"I can hardly sleep since Robert's death. The police are sniffing around like hungry dogs." Cersei muttered.

"Always so cautious."

Cersei looked over at him, "I've had to be. What if they find out that you argued with my husband on the night of the murder? Father told me you argued with Robert two days before he was killed! You're the most likely person in our family if the police were to find out." she hissed.

Jaime looked at her in disbelief, she would never let the subject go. His feet were removed from the coffee table and he sat with his head in his hands. Cersei sat next to him, placing a hand on his thigh and squeezed gently.

"How can I protect you when I don't know what it is you're hiding from me?" Cersei asked quietly.

Jaime looked up at her, a look she had never seen before in her brother's eyes. She knew he was hiding something from her but getting Jaime to share with her was another thing.

"You can tell me anything." Cersei whispered.

"If I tell you what I know then you _must_ promise me that you won't seek revenge or set out to hurt the people involved in this." Jaime said quietly.

"What do you know?"

"Promise me Cersei. Nobody must get hurt if I tell you."

Cersei rolled her eyes, "Fine I promise. Now tell me everything, what happened with Robert? What did you argue with him about?"

Jaime stood up and started to pace the room, "I found out something about Robert." he said.

"You know who killed Robert?"

"No but what we argued about is an insult to you."

Jaime sat next to her once more, telling her his story and as Cersei listened she found herself surprised. This was a side to her brother that she had never known and she couldn't decide whether or not she liked this side to him. Once the story was finished he asked her once again, on the love she bore for him, not to repeat the story to anyone and not to seek out and hurt the people involved and for the first time in her life, she found herself reluctantly keeping the promise she made to her brother.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you to those of you continuing to read this story, I hope you aren't getting too bored of it. There's still many chapters to come with many twists and turns. I'd love to know who you think killed Robert at this point of the story, let me know in a review :)**


	13. Sansa

"It's very kind of you to invite me here Joffrey." Sansa thanked for the third time since Joffrey had sent a car for her.

Since the funeral of Joffrey's father, Sansa had kept in touch with the Baratheons; mostly a friendship with Joffrey who she had a little bit of a crush on. She found Joffrey a dream, his blonde locks and green eyes and the way she felt when she was around him made her smile to herself. Today, she had been invited to lunch at the house by her crush and she hoped that soon that Joffrey would ask her to be his girlfriend.

"It's no bother and you need not thank me every opportunity that you get, it's quite boring after the second time." Joffrey replied lazily.

Sansa blushed slightly and took to the seat that Joffrey had pulled out for her, sitting at the table nervously as he took the seat next to her. She felt surprised when the housekeeper entered the dining room to ask them what they would like to eat when she had been under the impression that Joffrey was making them both something to eat.

"I think hot food would suffice." Joffrey commanded to the housekeeper.

"Master Joffrey, I don't think your mother would approve." the housekeeper muttered weakly.

"You think that the help can talk to me that way? A paid slave, my mother shall hear of this!" Joffrey sneered.

"I'm sorry Sir." the housekeeper said tearfully, hurrying out of the room and back to the kitchen.

Sansa shifted uncomfortably in her seat, she hadn't known that Joffrey could be cruel to the employees that worked for his mother.

"My grandfather is currently looking after my side of the business you know, I intend to work there properly when I leave school." Joffrey boasted.

"That's very impressive." Sansa complimented.

"I'll be sixteen and running my own business, not many boys my age can say that." Joffrey practically gushed.

Sansa smiled widely, "No they can't," she agreed, "It's a great honour that your father thought so much of you."

"My father never did much to that company, I'll be better than him." Joffrey vowed.

The housekeeper brought them two plates with home-made burgers and French fries to be washed down with two glasses of coke. The pair of them began to tuck in, discussing their schools to which Joffrey found that she attended an all girls school whilst he attended a private school that his grandfather paid the tuition fees for. She felt slightly out of place but at the same time he had chosen to spend time with her and give her attention.

Sansa heard the sound of various meows as three kittens entered the room, two of them remained on the floor; one looking hopefully up at the two of them whilst the other sniffed around at the foot of their chairs. The third had jumped up on to the dining table, starting to sniff at the leftovers on Joffrey's plate.

"Adorable little kittens, are they yours?" Sansa asked.

Joffrey looked disgusted, "No they aren't," he sneered, picking up the kitten that had jumped on the table, "They belong to my brother Tommen, a present from my uncle Tyrion to cheer him up after our father died."

She almost shrieked at what he did next. Joffrey was holding the kitten by the scruff of the neck as he stood from his seat, throwing the cat across the dining room that it hit the opposite wall with a loud thud on the impact. The kitten lay on the floor, howling in agony as it's brothers rushed along to check on him. She looked at Joffrey, eyes wide from shock that he was that cruel to an innocent animal. The green eyes that she admired were now fuelled with something that she had never before seen in a person, she couldn't describe it.

"It's no more than it deserves," Joffrey explained, "It should know better than to sniff at my plate."

Sansa nodded but she felt sympathy for the kitten, hoping that it didn't have any major injuries. The housekeeper cleared their plates and Joffrey led her upstairs to show her the spot in the study where his father had been killed.

"Mother wouldn't allow us to watch as the forensic team worked in here, they say he was shot with his own gun." Joffrey bragged.

"That's horrible." Sansa muttered, mortified at Joffrey's amusement at his father's murder scene.

"It was a fine weapon, I'm surprised he didn't flash it about. He kept it locked away in his safe at his office, when I visited but he was too busy dealing with one of his employees, he had left the safe open and I would play with it. One time I shot a bullet through his office window and the bullet hit a bird, it fell to the ground so quickly but it was still alive when I went down to see the damage. I soon put it out of it's misery."

Sansa pretended to be amazed by his story telling but he was beginning to show her that he was quite a twisted boy at the age of fifteen. It made her wonder how much longer she would have to be alone with him in his house where his father was murdered, she knew her own father would be picking her up in a little while. If Joffrey was this cruel to animals, was it possible that Joffrey could have been found out by his father for playing with a weapon that should have been locked away? Was it possible that Joffrey had fought back with Robert and killed his own father? She didn't want to believe it but having witnessed his cruelty on a defenceless animal and having listened to his story of playing with the murder weapon that would then kill his father, was Joffrey responsible for the murder of Robert Baratheon?

The rest of the afternoon flew by much to her pleasure. Joffrey had soon tired of showing her the scene of the murder and the two headed into the living room to watch a horror movie on the fifty inch screen TV. Joffrey laughed the whole way through when the murderer killed his victims off slowly one by one and he told her that she was safe every time that she jumped at certain scenes during the movie, that it wasn't real and she was safe with him. Sansa thanked him for his 'protection' as he shifted her closer to him but she didn't feel safe with Joffrey, not any more.

At three o'clock, a car beeped outside and she bade Joffrey goodbye, letting herself out of the house and got into her father's car. Sansa could see how tired her father looked, she didn't know how the murder case was going but the only thing she did know was that it was tiring her father.

"Did you have fun with Joffrey?" Ned asked, pulling away from the house.

Sansa buckled up her seatbelt, "To begin with." she replied quietly.

Ned stopped at the traffic lights, "What happened Sansa?"

She gulped and looked at her father, fearful about whether she was doing the right thing. She didn't want to tell on Joffrey but he had scared her, he had shown her that he could be a bit of a monster.

"Dad if I tell you, promise that you won't tell anyone?" she begged.

Ned nodded, turning left at the traffic lights as they turned green.

"I think Joffrey might have killed his father." Sansa muttered.

Ned pulled over into a parking bay, having been shocked by what his daughter had just told him. He switched off the engine and looked at his daughter, "What do you mean by Joffrey may have killed his father?"

"He told me that he had been playing with his father's gun before Mr Baratheon was killed...He threw a kitten across the room and it hit a wall. Dad he showed me the scene of the murder and it didn't phase him, he enjoyed it. Dad he scares me." Sansa whispered in a frightened tone.

"Sansa, I have to tell my colleagues about this. What you've just said makes Joffrey a suspect."

"No please! you can't. If Joffrey is made a suspect then he'd know it was me who told!" she cried.

"I'll protect you, you know that don't you?"

Sansa nodded, feeling that she had no choice as her father drove them in the direction of the police station. A part of her wished that she hadn't said anything to her father about her afternoon with Joffrey but Ned assured her that she had done the right thing in telling him, she could only hope that he was right.

* * *

**A/N: So as we all know, Joffrey is a bit of an idiot and doesn't think of the consequences of his actions does he? As I've said before, I'm new to the book world of this series so most of it is based on what I've seen the actors portray their characters from the show(to the best of my ability any way) so I hope you liked this chapter :)**

**Sadly, this will be the last one for a few weeks, I've got exam prep to do and birthday parties to organise.**


	14. Jaime, Brienne

Jaime scoffed in disbelief, "You did what?" he asked.

"I've hired a private investigator, to find out how many other children my husband fathered!" Cersei growled.

"I specifically asked you not to do anything!" Jaime snapped.

"It's an insult! Of course I knew that he slept around, the way he went about with his whores hardly made it a secret but he was quick to conceal the fact that he had children with them! What if these children try to take away Joff's inheritance of the company? What if these children try to take away the money that Robert gave our three children for their futures?-"

Jaime stood up, "You're very hypocritical! Saying that it's an insult that he fathered a few illegitimate children? Of course it is because he wasn't honest with you like he was with the bedding of other women but you can hardly talk Cersei." he shouted.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Your children aren't Roberts! They're mine biologically so it hardly matters if these bastards of Robert's turn up and take away what he left to them!"

"You can't just go around shouting it from the rooftops Jaime! As far as the outside world is concerned, those children are Robert's and that's the way it has to stay!" Cersei yelled, storming her way out of his living room and leaving his one bedroom flat.

Jaime didn't know why she could be so infuriating at times, he had made her promise not to get involved in the secret he had promised Tyrion that he would keep but Cersei couldn't understand why he felt that Tyrion was their brother let alone the way he treated him with respect. He sat down on the sofa, deciding to leave Cersei to calm down but he wished now that he had never told her his secret, it hadn't done any good.

He pulled his phone out of his trouser pocket, flipping through the contacts until he dialled the number that he wanted. It was a long shot, Brienne was still in the Caribbean so he didn't know if she would pick up but he needed someone to talk to and Brienne had a sense of good. The phone rang and it wasn't long until he heard the voice he needed to hear.

"Jaime Lannister, it's been a while since I last heard from you." Brienne said cheerfully.

"Enjoying the Caribbean Brienne?"

"It's just what I needed, what's the matter?"

Jaime sighed, "I told Cersei about Robert's children, I told her that's what I argued with him about and I made her promise not to get involved but she's hired a private investigator to find out the total number of bastards." he asnwered.

"Was it wise telling her? You know what she can be like or are you still blinded?" Brienne questioned.

"She's been nagging me for weeks to tell her and so I did but she's adamant that she needs to know how many there are because it threatens her children's inheritance." Jaime answered.

"Are you absolutely sure that she had no idea about Robert fathering children?"

"Positive. If she had known about it she would have done this a lot sooner."

"I think you need to have another talk with Tyrion about the matter, he asked you to keep this from her. Your brother has a soft spot for people who are outcasts."

"I know he does." Jaime agreed.

"That's not just why you called me is it? It wasn't just to tell me that you told Cersei the secret your brother made you keep."

There was a slight pause before he sighed again, "Am I doing the right thing, helping Tyrion?"

"You're a good person beneath it all. Jaime, everything that we went through during our time in the army together has an impact on some people. The person you were before the things we witnessed in the army was a smug and selfish being. You're doing the decent thing by helping Tyrion to keep his secret because I would do the same for my brother if I had one. Let Cersei do what she wants to do, she'll self destruct eventually. Who's to say that she didn't murder her husband herself? You know the saying, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?"

"Thank you Brienne, I needed to speak to someone outside of all this."

"Any time Jaime Lannister."

"Goodbye Brienne."

Jaime hung up the phone, feeling slightly reassured by his chat with Brienne. Before he did anything else he needed to speak with Tyrion once more on the subject to find out just how much Tyrion knew and what he didn't. He hated being caught in the middle of his siblings, Cersei hated Tyrion due their mother dying of a blood clot shortly after giving birth to their brother and always refused to acknowledge him as their brother due to Tyrion being born with dwarfism. He sighed heavily as he pulled up his phone contacts until he reached Tyrion's number, he only hoped that whatever his brother had to say wouldn't cause him to have to choose between his siblings.

* * *

**A/N: So you lucky people have an update sooner than I thought I'd be able to, my exam has been pushed back until the end of September and because my tutor marked assignments are complete, I'm going to spend a little time relaxing, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, more twists to come soon although it will be a while before you find out who the culprit is :) **


	15. Tyrion

"Jaime, why did you tell her?" Tyrion asked, feeling annoyed that his brother had broken his promise.

"I had no choice, you know what she can be like" Jaime replied.

"Sadly I know how angry she can be and what reckless things she can do in those moments. I know she can be persistent when it comes to wanting to get what she wants, you're proof of that."

There was a moment's silence from Jaime as Tyrion checked his phone to see if the call was still connected to Jaime. He had faith in Jaime that his brother would keep the information of Robert's bastard with a prostitute a secret but he had been wrong. Now he wasn't sure if the girl was in danger or not from their sister.

"Do you realise that Cersei will most likely harm this child? The baby is only a year old and an innocent in all this. The mother believed that Robert would leave his wife and raise the baby with her."

"As far as I know, she's only hired a private investigator to find out the total number of children that Robert fathered behind her back."

"Jaime, did you tell her anything else?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Tyrion, you only told me about the girl's past with Robert and their child. Is there something else that you want to tell me?" Jaime asked.

"No, there isn't. I have to go and make sure that the girl is okay, someone has to try and protect her from Cersei." Tyrion replied.

"I'm sorry Tyrion, I really did have no choice."

"Let me know if Cersei plans to do something if she hasn't done so already, I'll let you know how the girl is after I've seen her."

He ended the phone call and pocketed his mobile phone, walking into the hall of his flat and putting on his jacket before locking up. Tyrion entered the lift at the end of the hall, pressing the button that led into the underground carpark for all the residents. Bronn had been waiting for him for the past half an hour when Jaime had first called him.

"Off to the usual Tuesday night place?" Bronn asked.

Tyrion nodded, handing him an envelope of cash, "Yes, you're getting a turn too." he replied as he climbed into the back of the car.

The pair of men buckled up and Bronn started the car engine, pulling out of the car park and began the journey to the block of flats that Tyrion had found out about after bedding one of the prostitutes that lived there. The outside was rather grim and at first Tyrion was skeptical on whether he should enter but the inside of the flats were quite nice.

Bronn parked the car, the two men getting out as the clicker indicated that the car had been locked. The two men entered the foyer, greeted by the red headed Ros who kept the girls and the visitors in check.

"Good evening Mr Lannister, who would you like to satisfy you tonight?" Ros asked.

"Mhaegen if she's available, I'll pay double if she isn't." Tyrion answered.

Tyrion handed over an envelope, taking the lift up to Mhaegen's flat. He could hear the faint sound of a baby crying on the inside as he knocked on the door. A few moments later, the door opened and he was ushered inside. He got a look at the girl's face, feeling a little sad for her. Mhaegen's eyes were purple from the bags underneath, clearly she hadn't been able to sleep.

He felt for her. Ever since he had recognised her from the list of ex-employees from his father's that his father had handed to Eddard Stark he had felt for her. Mhaegen was just a girl with a baby who was naive enough to believe everything that Robert had promised her and the baby had been the result of the love affair. Tyrion had always felt a soft spot for being who were different, with him being a dwarf and Mhaegen having been made an outcast by being made homeless and becoming a prostitute.

"Have you been harmed?" Tyrion asked.

Mhaegen shook her head, "I can't eat, I can't sleep. Barra cries all night. She looks just like him." she muttered.

"My sister knows about you and Barra, I will promise to protect you from her to the best of my ability."

Mhaegen sat down as she picked up the baby, "I can't keep this up, Robert didn't even get a chance to know our little girl." she cried.

"Mhaegen, it will be alright, I can provide you with protection from my sister." Tyrion assured.

Nothing else was said or done as Tyrion helped Mhaegen with a few household chores as she nursed Barra back to sleep. Tyrion hoped that Cersei would do the right thing and leave the situation be, but knowing his sister; there would certainly be trouble lying ahead for everyone involved in the secret of Robert's bastard children.


	16. An arrest is made

Ned stared at the TV screen, watching as the footage showed one Jaime Lannister and Robert Baratheon having a heated argument two days prior to Robert's murder. It had been left on his desk by an anonymous source which said in the note to watch the DVD and to ask a catering waiter who had been working at the Baratheon residence on the night of the murder about what they saw. Currently Baelish was in the interview room with said waiter taking a statement, whatever the waiter said, they might have enough to charge Jaime Lannister for murder.

He watched as Jaime punched Robert and left the office, causing an end to the CCTV footage. Ned sat there in silence, trying to process what he had just seen; did Jaime Lannister kill his best friend? He sat for a few moments, trying to determine the cause of why Jaime Lannister had killed Robert Baratheon when Baelish took the seat opposite him.

"I've got the waiter's statement, he saw and heard Jaime Lannister enter the study on the night of the murder and take part in a heated argument. He doesn't know what it was about but it was pretty aggressive."

Ned nodded, "Do we have enough to make an arrest?" he asked.

"We have enough evidence to arrest and bring him in for questioning because his previous statement contradicts what the witness has told us along with the CCTV footage two days prior to the murder. Jaime Lannister has a motive and Bolton wants us to bring him in."

"Have the officers tried his address?"

Baelish nodded, "No sign of him there, shall we try the Baratheon house? He certainly seems very attached to his sister and may be spending some time there." he suggested.

The two men rose from their seats, heading out of the building and into Baelish's car as they made their way over to the Baratheon house where Robert had been killed. All along, Cat had told him that the Lannisters were probably the ones who had committed the crime and so far that was where their investigation had been going. This time he hoped not to look so foolish in front of Robert's widow. After having to let Joffrey go because his alibi for the murder had checked out, Cersei had smiled in triumph when they had no choice but to let the little psychopath go. Since then he had forbade Sansa to have any contact with Joffrey in order to protect her from his evil nature.

They arrived outside the house, parking on the street as they made their way up the driveway; knocking on the door with a few backup officers that Baelish had called for when they were on their way. The door opened to see Tywin Lannister standing in the doorway.

"DS Stark, who do I complain to about you harassing my family?"

"I'm just doing my job Mr Lannister, now can we come inside?"

Tywin hesitated for a moment before allowing the four officers inside the house. They could see in the dining room that the entire of the Lannister family were gathered around the table for a family lunch.

"Get out of my house!" Cersei yelled, standing from her seat.

"Miss Lannister, I am not here to harass you." Ned stated.

Cersei moved from the table, "You should be finding my husband's murderer but instead you go around accusing my son of murdering his own father! It seems to me that you aren't so good at the job you love so much." she hissed.

"I am doing my job, I assure you. In fact we've come here today to tell you that an arrest is being made." Ned replied.

Cersei looked a little shocked, "An arrest?" she questioned.

Baelish nodded, "We have enough evidence to make an arrest and push ahead with further questioning."

"Who?"

Ned nodded to the two officers, heading to the table and forcing Jaime Lannister to stand. The children and Tyrion looked shocked as Jaime made eye contact with Ned.

"Jaime Lannister, I'm arresting you on suspicion of murder-"

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" Tywin boomed.

"I didn't kill him!" Jaime protested, struggling with the officers who were trying to handcuff him.

"You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defense when questioned with something you later rely on in court. Anything you do say, may be given in evidence." Ned finished.

"Jaime no!" Cersei protested, trying to reach for her brother as the uniformed officers led her twin out of the house.

The younger children looked shocked and started crying as Tyrion tried to console them, Joffrey looked on in amusement. Cersei ran out to the police car, assuring her brother that she knew he was innocent and would get him the best solicitor that she could. Baelish headed out of the house, leaving Tywin to glare at Ned furiously.

"I promise you Stark that you've made the biggest mistake of your life. My son didn't kill his brother-in-law. You are going to regret this day, you've gone against the Lannister family and I will ruin you for it." Tywin threatened.

"Your son is a suspect in a murder case, my colleague and I will keep you informed." Ned promised, exiting the house and getting into the car.

As they pulled away from Cersei's house, Ned could only hope that they had truly caught the murderer and that Tywin's threat would only be an empty one.

* * *

**A/N: This story will be updated on a weekly basis starting from next Monday because I want this story to come to it's conclusion much faster than the monthly basis on which I was updating. **

**So Jaime has been arrested? what are your thoughts? More to come soon :) **


	17. Ned, Jaime

He sat in his cell, head in his hands as he waited to be taken up to the court. Jaime Lannister had been charged with the murder of Robert Baratheon on the grounds that he had lied about arguing with Robert before the victim was murdered and the fact there was CCTV footage of him punching Robert two days before the murder and a witness who heard him arguing with Robert in the study before the party had started.

Today, he was waiting for a guard to lead him from the cell to his dock in the court above. It was the plea hearing where he would declare he was not guilty before the judge would decide whether he would be bailed until the murder trial. Ned Stark seemed to be satisfied that he had killed Robert but he hadn't. Jaime still couldn't believe that he was the one sat in here.

Luckily for him, his father had paid for a very good solicitor who was confident that he would be granted bail as she didn't believe that the police's reason for motive to Jaime killing Robert was simply because the two men disliked each other and had argued. _Everyone argues, _the solicitor had told him, _the jury would be fools indeed if they found you guilty of murder simply because you had a disagreement with your brother-in-law. _

The cell door opened and he stood, holding his hands out for the police officer to cuff him. Handcuffs in place, he was led down the narrow corridor and up a flight of stairs, until he stood in the dock; meeting the green eyes of his sister; for the first time in her life, she looked upset. Genuinely upset and he knew that his arrest was hard for her. But she reassured him that she knew he didn't kill Robert and that she loved him more than anything.

The judge asked him to speak only to confirm his name and to enter his plea, which he did as 'Not Guilty' quite clear for the whole court to hear. The judge then told him that due to the nature of the case, he wouldn't be granted bail and would be remanded in custody until trial. His eyes caught Cersei's, saying nothing but hoped his eyes said it all; he loved her and he would get out of this mess.

* * *

Ned left the court, happy in the result that Lannister wasn't getting bailed until the trial. The Lannister family were walking together, with Tywin trying to shield Cersei from the photographers and reporters who kept asking then questions like _"Miss Lannister, how does it feel that your twin brother murdered your husband?" _or _"This must be devastating Mr Lannister, your own son capable of murdering your business partner?" _

He watched as Cersei climbed into her car, catching Tywin's gaze but then the head of the Lannister family was gone, into the drivers seat of Cersei's car and drove away from the court. Ned climbed into his own when his phone started to ring.

"DS Stark."

"Stark, it's Bolton."

"What's wrong Sir? I've just left the court." said Ned.

"I need you back at the station, as soon as possible." Bolton replied urgently.

"Why?" he asked.

"A few officers were called out a block of flats in Mitcham after they heard a gun was fired, the gun matches the type that the victim was shot with." Bolton explained.

"Okay Sir, I'm on my way back now. Is the gun with the forensic team?"

"It is," Bolton confirmed, "It's being dusted for finger prints as well as a few other tests. The person who set the gun off swears it was an accident but we're keeping her in for questioning."

"I'll be there as soon as I can." Ned promised, ending the call.

He switched on the engine to his car, starting his journey back to his place of work; hoping that they had indeed found the murder weapon with Jaime Lannister's finger prints on it, that way they would be all the more successful in getting a guilty verdict.


	18. The killer revealed

Ned arrived back at CID and headed straight into Bolton's office to see that his boss was reading through an envelope of paper work. He coughed to get his boss's attention and sat in one of the empty seats.

"It appears to be that Jaime Lannister may be innocent." Bolton declared.

Ned frowned, "How so?"

"The gun was found at a block of flats in Mitcham, a block of flats that are, according to the girl, used for prostitution. The girl, she seems quite unsettled, she's already waiting to be questioned if you wouldn't mine conducting the interview."

"Course not. Have the reports by forensics come back yet?"

Bolton nodded, "It was the victim's personal gun and the one used to murder Robert Baratheon."

Ned groaned, "Does this girl have something to do with the murder?"

"She's connected to the victim. Her name is Mhaegen Waters, she worked for Baratheon and had an affair with him. It appears that she also had a child with Robert Baratheon according to the paperwork in this folder given to me by Tywin Lannister. Jaime Lannister has been released on bail pending further inquiries."

Ned nodded, leaving Bolton's office and heading into the interview room where the girl was sat with her solicitor. She looked exhausted, the bags under her eyes showed that she hadn't slept properly for a while, she looked thinner than the last time she had been in the station and she looked more stressed. Ned sat down and turned on the tape and stated who he was and who was present for the interview.

"Miss Waters, why don't you tell me how you came to be in possession of the gun that was used to kill Robert Baratheon?" Ned asked.

She didn't look at him and neither did she look at her solicitor.

"I can't do this anymore. I can't eat, I can't sleep. I've let my daughter down." she muttered.

"Miss Waters?"

"I've kept this secret for so long. It's eating away at me," she cried, starting to scratch at her skin, "I..I can't keep it, it's under my skin."

The solicitor took her hands away from her body and placed them on the table, it was evident that the girl was distressed.

"Miss Waters, can you please answer the question?"

The girl met his gaze with tears in her eyes, "You know that Robert and I had an affair. I worked for him for a few weeks and fell in love with him, he'd take me to hotels and stuff. But then I found out I was pregnant." she started to explain, taking a deep breath to keep herself calm, "Robert sacked me on the spot, he gave me some money and told me not to contact him again."

Ned blinked, he thought that Robert wasn't like that.

"Go on." he urged.

"My mum kicked me out and I had a mate who got me a flat and work selling myself to make money, I was desperate. I tried to contact Robert but he changed his number. I loved him! Why wouldn't he just help me?!" she cried, "I got obsessed, I googled him, found out as much as I could about him. I found out about a girl name Lyanna Stark and visited her grave, I saw that Robert frequently visited even though he had a wife but then I was visited by Robert's wife's brother who wanted a prostitute and he recognised me from King's Landing Incorporated. It didn't take him long to realise that Barra was Robert's child. He said he'd protect me. But then I was visited by the other brother and a manly looking woman who asked me a lot of questions, took copies of Barra's paperwork and I told them I'd met a few other prostitutes who had worked for Robert and had his children, his wife never knew."

Ned felt his stomach churn, not saying a word as he continued to look at Mhaegen.

"I got in touch with Robert when Barra was a few months old and we argued. He refused to acknowledge my daughter and told me to leave, that he was married and I was nothing to him. Told me I should've got rid of the babe." she said quietly, tears running down her cheeks, "I saw him go into the safe and saw his gun. I left his office. But then I found out about the party and I took the gun from his office, it took a few combinations until I remembered the dead girl's grave."

Lyanna, the combination was Lyanna's birthday.

"I just wanted to scare him," she said, bursting into full blown tears, "I wanted him to own up to his responsibility and provide for Barra but he wouldn't. It was too late. I shot him! I didn't mean to!"

Ned was frozen in his seat, the solicitor tried to stop her from saying more but she refused to take his advice.

"I ran and panicked, I hid the gun at my flat and carried on with my life as best I could. But then I was visited by my boss who found out from a mate about what I'd done."

"Your boss?"

Mhaegen nodded, "He told me not to move the gun, he knew that the police were looking for it and he could keep me updated on the investigation. He helped me to carry on for Barra's sake."

"How did your boss know that the police were looking for the gun? "

Mhaegen covered her mouth, "NO...No I've said too much! If I tell on him, he'll kill me and Barra!" she exclaimed.

"We'll protect you. Tell me, who is your boss?" Ned urged.

Mhaegen began to cry fresher tears as she whispered, "His name is Petyr Baelish."

* * *

**A/N: So now the killer has been revealed, what do you think? There's going to be one or two more chapters to tie up this story but sadly after that the story will be concluded. **


	19. Just the beginning

Ned couldn't believe what the young girl had just told him, in the months after Robert's death the murderer had turned out to be a girl who was the mother of Robert's love child. They sat in the room in near complete silence, the only sound was the sobbing and tears coming from Mhaegen Waters. The solicitor didn't know whether to sit still in his seat or to try and calm his client down. They were all in shock, all this time and the murderer hadn't been a Lannister.

"You killed Mr Baratheon?" Ned asked.

Mhaegen nodded, sniffling as she did.

"And you say that Detective Constable Baelish is your 'boss' in a prostitution ring?" he asked.

"Yes Sir." she mumbled.

Ned rose from his seat, suspending the interview and leaving the room where he met a furious Bolton outside.

"We need to arrest Baelish." Ned said urgently.

"Too late for that, I got a call from DC Baelish ten minutes ago, he said with immediate effect he was retiring from the police force and was already on a plane at Heathrow. By the time my officers had gotten to the airport, it turned out to be a decoy. Baelish was in fact on a plane heading for South America but he boarded a plane at Gatwick airport." Bolton yelled.

Ned felt the urge to punch something, how could it be that Baelish was one step ahead of them? Of course, it turned out that the man who had been trying to help him work out who the murderer of his best friend was actually a bent copper who had been using the investigation as a means of trying to keep the real murderer hidden. Not to mention that he was illegally selling women from a block of flats in Mitcham for his own profit and then there was the poor women who had no choice but to sell their bodies in order to make money. What if some of them were like that girl sat, crying, in the interview room? A helpless young woman who was a single mother and needed to feed and clothe her daughter?

"What do we do now Sir?" Ned asked.

"I've got some officers from CID trying to track down Baelish. I'm also trying to get the police in South American cities to man the airports and I'm putting out a photo of Baelish on the most wanted list. In the meantime we have to stop this from getting to the press and we need to charge the girl for the murder of Robert Baratheon. I'll speak to a judge tomorrow and see if we can get her a plea deal. If she pleads guilty and agrees to help us convict Baelish then we'll try and get her a lighter sentence for her daughter's sake." Bolton instructed.

Ned sighed heavily, "She's just a teenaged girl with a baby." he muttered to himself.

"Be that as it may, we're in a very big mess Stark and you better hope to heaven that the Lannisters don't sue us for wrongful conviction of Jaime Lannister." Boltom growled.

With nothing else said, Ned watched as his boss walked up the staircase that led to the CID and he went back into the interview room. Mhaegen had calmed down slightly, she was no longer sobbing but her eyes were puffy and she looked exhausted. Ned sat back down, looking her in the eye and turned on the tape recorder.

"Miss Waters, based on your confession, you are hereby charged with the murder of Robert Baratheon that commenced on the eighteenth of may in the study of his home address. The gun, which you hid from the police in the investigation, has been taken in as evidence against you with your fingerprints matching those taken from the weapon during the forensic process. Do you understand?"

The girl said a meek 'yes' before wiping a stray tear that had escaped her eye.

"However, if you are willing to co-operate with us further, it has come to our attention that you have been working as an illegal prostitute for Detective Constable Petyr Baelish. On your information, we are launching a new investigation to prosecute DC Baelish. We may be able to get a judge to give you a lighter sentence when you go to trial for the murder of Robert Baratheon in return for you working with us to prosecute DC Baelish. Are you willing to accept this?" Ned asked.

The girl's eyes widened, "He'll kill me! He said if I ever told he'd make me watch as my daughter was murdered-"

"We can take your family into the witness protection program, we can protect them and you if you agee to help us."

"But-"

"Miss Waters, you're looking at a life sentence which the minimum is fifteen years in this country. Your daughter would be off to sixth form by the time you got out and you'd have to miss out on everything, her first steps, her first day at school. Her first day at secondary school. If you co-operate with us, a judge can show you mercy."

The girl hesitated and looked at her solicitor who muttered something to her in her ear. When the solicitor was finished, she turned back round to look him in the eye.

"Alright, I'll help you. For Barra's sake." she replied.

Ned smiled as he shut off the tape, "This is just the beginning Miss Waters." he said quietly.

* * *

**A/N: I would like to thank each and every one of you who have followed/favourited/reviewed this story since the beginning but sadly this story has now reached it's end but it's not the end in a sense. Some of you may want to know what will happen to Baelish now that his big secret is out so I've decided instead of rushing a chapter where Baelish gets arrested because as we all know, he's not just going to accept going to prison for being a bent copper and perverting the course of justice and being an accessory to murder, I'm going to write a sequel which will explore Baelish's escape and the aftermath of Robert's murder. I've already got the first chapter idea in my head and will be writing it shortly so please keep a look out for it. I will most likely post an Author's note after this chapter to inform you all of the story when it's up and published :) **


End file.
